Bowling time clock



5, 1952 M. 1.. WICKSTROM 2,584,374

BOWLING TIME CLOCK Filed Sept. 12, 1949 A TTORNEK Patented Feb. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOWLING TIME CLOCK Milford L. Wickstrom, Kansas City, Kane.

Application September 12, 1949, Serial No. 115,253

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the field of recreation and particularly to the game of bowling, the primary object being to provide a timing device for indicating to the players and others Whether or not the frames and games are being played according to schedule with respect to time consumed.

Bowling alley operators are universally confronted with the problem of groups of players failing to continue with their playing without delay, thereby finishing with a particular game, or series of games within a reasonable time. In the absence of completion within a given time, following groups are delayed and cannot finish at a contemplated hour. For instance, a league of three games, scheduled to commence at six p. m. should be finished at approximately eightfif'teen p. m. whereby succeeding groups can be assured of commencing at, about eight-thirty p. m. If the second league of games is late in starting, completion thereof will be much later than expected to the disadvantage of all concerned.

To continuously call the players attention to their delay is embarrassing to them and to the alley owner and often results in misunderstandlug and ill feeling. Accordingly, it is the most important object of the present invention to present a timing device to the players capable of indicating to them at all times Whether or not they are playing at the speed necessary to finish on schedule.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a clock-like apparatus having means to indicate at any moment the exact frame of a particular game within which the players should be bowling.

Another object is to provide a clocking .means for bowling alleys showing the league of games, the game of the league, and the frame of the game in which the bowlers should be playing at any particular moment.

Other objects of this invention include the way in which the dial of the clock-device is set off to effect all of the indicating functions above set forth as can be more adequately outlined in the following specifications.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front plan view of a bowling alley clock made in accordance with the present invention; and,

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan View thereof, parts being broken away for clearness.

Conventional clock mechanism without a housin is empl yed in the device about to be de scribed and has therefor not been shown. Such mechanism is provided with means to rotate an hour hand l2 a complete revolution in twelve hours and to rotate a longer minute hand l4 one revolution in one hour in the usual manner. Hands ['2 and I4 are disposed to traverse face N5 of a circular, disc-like dial 18 that is mounted on a support 20 within which is disposed housing It. The entire assembly is preferably mounted in an elevated position, easily seen by all concerned through any suitable structure (not shown).

Face I 6 of dial 1 8 has printed, painted or otherwise calibrated thereon a continuous, elongated spiral 20 commencing at one end 22 thereof adj a cent the periphery of dial l6 and terminating at the opposite end 24 thereof adjacent the center of face 16. A continuous line 26, extending from end 22 to end 24 sets off said spiral 26 which is made up of alarge number of convolutions.

Spiral 2!! is set off into two groups 28 and 30, each having a number of elongated, arcuate segments. Group 28 is provided with segments 32, 34 and 36 and group 36, 40 and 42. The segments 32, '34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 are each in turn set oil by radial lines 44 into ten divisions each and designated 'by the numeral '46. It is noted that each division 46 of each segment is of the same length but that the divisions 46 progressively decrease in length from segment 32 to segment 42. The divisions 46 of each segment are numb'e'red from 1 to 10 inclusive by indicia 48, in the clockwise direction of rotation of hands [2 and I4. Thus, the division 46 of segment 32 having the indicia/l thereon is adjacent end 22 of spiral 20 and division 46 of segment 32 having indicia 10 thereon is next adjacent the division 46 of segment 34 having indicia "1 thereon.

Group '28 is separated from group 30 by an elongated, arcuate section 56 between proximal divisions 46 of segments 36 and 36. Area 50 has the words league change" printed thereon as at 52. Division 46 refer to bowling frames as indicated by indicia 54 and indicating hand 56 forwardly of end 22 of spiral 20.

It is noted that end 24 of spiral 20 terminates radially outwardly of hand l2. A space 58 at the center of dial I8 is provided with three, relatively short, arcuate areas 60, 62 and 64, each divided into three equal portions 66 by radial lines 68. Portions 66 are numbered consecutively by indicia l6, and refer to games of bowling as indicated at 72.

The clocking device above described contemplates two leagues of three games each in approximately four hours and forty-five minutes which permits forty-five minutes for each game and fifteen minutes between groups of three games each. Thus, each frame should be played in four and one-half minutes.

Assuming hand M to be overlying division 46 of segment 32 having indicia- I thereon at the start of play, hand 12 will be approaching portion 56 of area 50 having indicia I thereon. When hand l4 reaches division 46 of segment 32 marked it, forty-five minutes will have elapsed and hand 2! will have approached to portion 55 of area 60 marked I, indicating that the first game, including H1 frames, has been or should be completed.

When hand M has reached division 46 of segment 34 marked I0, ninety minutes will have elapsed and two games should be completed which will be indicated by hand 12 over area 60.

At the end of the third game, hand 14 will traverse section 50, during which time (fifteen minutes) the bowling alley attendants will have suihcient time to prepare-the alleys and attend to other matters preparatory to the following three games. Such games are indicated from standpoint of time by hand 14 corresponding to segments 38. 50 and 4'2 while hand l2 corresponds to area 62.

Thus, area 60 clocks the three games between six p. m. and eight-fifteen p. m., for instance, and area 62 clocks the games between eight-thirt p. m. and ten forty-five p. m. Area as may be utilized for morning or afternoon games.

While two groups 28 and 32 have been shown, the number of such groups may be increased or decreased as desired. Each of the segments 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 is preferably given a distinguishing color and the portions 56 corresponding thereto are colored accordingly, for facilitating reading of the dial l8 quickly and easily at a glance.

It is further contemplated that dial it be also v rovided with the usual clock face indicia on the marginal edge of face 16 whereby the hands and E4 serve the additional function of keeping the players informed of the time.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a timing device for bowling games having timepiece mechanism including a rotatable hour hand and a rotatable minute hand. dial for the hands comprising a member having a face underlying said hands. said face having an elongated spiral formed thereon within the space traversed by the minute hand only, said spiral having a number of divisions, each corresponding in length with the distance of travel of. said minute hand during a single bowling frame played at a predetermined speed, said face having an arcuate area thereon within the space traversed by said hour hand, said arcuate area, having a number of portions, each corresponding in length with the distance of travel of said hour hand during a bowling game of ten frames played at a predetermined speed.

2. In a timing device for bowling games having timepiece mechanism including a rotatable hour hand and a rotatable minute hand, a dial for the hands comprising a member having a face underlying said hands; said face having an elongated spiral formed thereon within the space traversed by the minute hand only, said spiral having a number of divisions, each corresponding in length with the distance of travel of said minute hand during a single bowling frame played at a predetermined speed, said face having an arcuate area thereon within the space traversed by said hour hand, said arcuate area having a number of portions, each corresponding in length with the distance of travel of said hour hand during a bowling game of ten frames played at a pre determined speed, said spiral having a number of segments, each comprising ten of said divisions.

3. In a timing device for bowling games having timepiece mechanism including a rotatable hourhand and a rotatable minute-hand, a dial for the comprising member having a face underlying said hands, said face having an elongated spiral formed thereon within the space traversed by the minute-hand only, said spiral having a pair of sections each divided into three segments and each segment respectively being sub-divided into divisions, each division corresponding in length with the distance of travel of said minutehand during a single bowling frame played at a predetermined speed. said face having an arcuate area for each section respectively within the space traversed by said hour-hand, each area having a portion for each segment respectively and corresponding in length with the distance of travel of said hour-hand during a bowling game of ten frames played at a predetermined speed.

MILFORD L. VVICKSTROM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2, 3%,287 Reece Nov. 16, 194-3 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 35,763 Norway r Sept. 18, 1922 

